Gas-engine starter.



C. H. (JUNO.

GAS ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1912.

1,064,055. Patented June 10, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT ornron.

CHARLES H. CUNO, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

GAS-ENGINE STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 19.13.

Application filed April 5, 1912. Serial No. 688,586.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that- I, CHARLES H. OuNo, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meriden, New Haven county, State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improveinentsin Gas- Engine Starters, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved socalled gas engine starter inwhich a suitable fuel gas is measured off and distributed to enginecylinders whereby said gas may be ignited for the purpose of startingthe engine.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and render veryreliable and durable the various parts of the mechanism, the arrangementalso being such that gas supply .under very low pressure may be availedof so that in the event of using acetylene, for example,'which is vendedin storage tanks, it is possible to use the acetylene found in thestorage tank even though said tank has been nearly exhausted. These andother advantages will be apparent to the mechanic skilled in this artfrom a reading of the following description and an examination of theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an irregular sectional view taken substantially on the lineww of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line y7 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have shown my invention of a form adapted to asix-cylinder engine, although it is apparent that said apparatus may beadapted to an engine having any number of cylinders.

1 represents a main support upon which respective piston, and at theother end, to a movable head 6 located at the outer end of theapparatus.

7 is a valve, in this instance located in a relatively heavy centralcasting 2 preferably integral or rigid with the frame 2. This valve isheld to its seat in any suitable manner and is provided with atelescopic stem comprising a central sect-ion 8 and an outside section9. The outside section 9 projects out through the head 6 and isconnected with a handle 10. The sections 89 of the valve stem aresuitably held against independent rotation so that when the bandle 10 isturned, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the valve 7. Bythis arrangement, when the head 6 moves out with the pistons 4 and therods 5,'the handle 10 will move out with said head (3, the telescopicvalve stem permitting this movement.

11 is a gas inlet controlled by the valve 7, said inlet 11 beingconnected with any suitable source of gas supply, said gas supply beingforced into the aforesaid apparatus through the passage 11 when thevalve 7 stands in the proper posit-ion. Between the valve 7 and thedistributing cylinders 3 I provide a suitable measuring apparatuswhereby predetermined quantities of gas may be admitted to saiddistributing cylinders. In the preferred form of construction, thismeasuring mechanism comprises a piston 12 slidable in a cylinder 13,said piston 12 being moved in one direction by a spring 14 which may bevaried in tension in any suitable manner, as by an adjustable base 15.The piston 12 normally stands in the position shown in Fig. l andcarries-a valve 16 which controls a passage leading into the cylinder 13at the end of the piston 12 opposite the spring 14. lVhen the piston 12and. valve 16 stand as shown in Fig. 1, the last mentioned passage isopen. Said passage is shown by the clearance around the stem of thevalve 16. The valve 16 moves freely in a space provided in the block 2.

17 is a passage, one end of which communicates with the valve 7, theother end communicating with the'space in the block 2' in which thevalve 16 moves.

18 is a passage which connects the side cf the cylinder 13 with thelower end of a distributing cylinder 3. Each distributing cylinder 3should be provided with a passage 18.

1!)-1.9 are distributing outlets which lead to the several gas enginecylinders, these distributing outlets tapping into the side walls of thecylinder 13. The piston 12 is provided with passages 202O which connectthe passages 18 with the distributing outlets 19 when the piston 12stands in the position shown in Fig. 1.

21 is a partition between the valve seat for the valve 7 and the spacein which .the valve 16 moves, said partition being preferably removablein this instance to facilitate manufacture and to also facilitateassembling of the parts and thereto for. the purposes of repair. Byhaving this partition, it is obvious that no gas pressure can ever getunder the valve 7 tending to unseat the same.

\Vith the foregoing description of the construct-ion, the followingoperation will be readily understood: To operate the mechanism, andstarting from the position shown in Fig. 1, the handle 10 is grasped andthe valve 7 isturned in a' direction to put the gas inlet 11 intocommunication with the cylinder 13; hence, gas forced through thepassage 11 passes directly into the cylinder 13, forcing back the piston12 against the pressure of the spring 14. As soon as the iston has beenforced back so that its end will clear the passages 18, the inrushingwill then flow through the passages 18 into the distributing cylinders3, forcing back the pistons 4, whereupon the head 6 will move out untilthe pistons reach the .limit of their outward movement. Gas will continue to flow in until the desired pressure of gas (and hence thedesired volume) has been forced into the distributing cylinders. This isdetermined by the tension of the spring 1 1.- When the pressure of thegas in the distributing cylinders 3 has reached the intended limit, anyadditional pressure will force the piston 12 farther in and willthereby-close the entrance passage into said cylinder through the mediumof valve 16. In ordinary practice when this condition has obtained, thevalve 7 would be closed by the handle 10, whereupon the gas supply wouldbe cut off and the space above piston 12 vented whereupon, of course,the piston 12 would then return to its normal position shown in Fig. 1,putting the interior of the then charged distributing cylinders incommunication with the distributing outlets 19 leading to the severalcylinders of the engine. The operator will then press in on theprojected parts by pressing against the hub of the handle 10. This willcause the pistons 4 to advance, thereby forcing the gas in the to affordaccess distributing cylinders into the gas engine cylinders, chargingthe same ready. for starting. By eliminating springs in the dis-.tributing cylinders, but very little pressure of gas-is required tocharge or store the same. By preference the passages in the valve 7should be such as shown in Fig. 2 wherein branches 22*23 are employed toput the inlet 11 in communication with the passage 17. There is also bypreference a branch These branches are arranged at suitable an.- glesfor the intended'work. 25 is an outlet which may lead to the ordinarygas'inlet pipe of a gas engine. By the arrangement of the branches inthe valve 7 shown in the drawings. these branches may cooperate asfollows: As shown in Fig. 2. the inlet 11 is in direct communicationwith the passage 17 to permit gas to be introduced into the distributingcylinders through the measuring cylinder. If the valve 7 is gii'en apar- .ial turn in a counterclocl-zwise direction, thegas suppl- Qs cutoff. If it is given a further turn in the same direction, the branch 24-may be put in communication with the inlet 11 and the branch 22 may beput in communication with the outlet 2:") so that the gas simply may bepassed directly from the source of supply to the ordinary gas inlet pipeof the'engine for the purpose ofrun-- ning the engine as long desireda'fter initial starting upon the stored supply, thus enabling the engineto be warmed up preparatory to being run normallv It should, of course,be understood'that I have desm'ibed my'invcntioirin its preferred form,but that I realize vari'o'iis modifications in structure and arrangementof parts may be resorted to without departure from the pirit or scope ofthe invention.

The foregoing construction has the following conspicuous lrantage: If itshould be found. that the gas stored in the engine cylinders is toorich. the operator may draw bacl; the head (3 and piston so as to tillthe distributing cylinders with air, which may be pumped into -theengine cylinders by simply pushing the said parts forwardagain.

Enough air will leak by the piston packmgs in the distributing cylindersto permit the filling of the same in this manner.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a gas engine starter, a distributing cylinder, a movable pistontherein arranged for manual operation in one direction, a valved gasinlet passage leading to the distributing cylinder, and an automaticpressure-controlled means in said raissage arranged to close said pasage when the pressure of gas in said passage exceeds the resistance ofsaid means. said distributing cylinder having a distributing passage fordelivering the gas contained therein to a gas engine cylinder, and amanually-controllable valve for the gas inlet arranged in the passagebetween the automatic pressure-controlled means and the source of gassupply.

2. In a gas engine starter, a distributing cylinder, a movable pistontherein arranged for manual operation in one direction, a valved gasinlet passage leading to the distributing cylinder, and an automaticpressure-controlled means in said passage arranged to close said passagewhen the pres sure of gas in said passage exceeds the resistance of saidmeans, said distributing cylinder having a distributing-passage fordelivering the gas contained therein .to a gas engine cylinder, saiddistributing passage being also controlled by said automaticpressure-controlled means. H

3. In a gas engine starter, a distributing cylinder,a movable pistontherein arranged for manual operation in one direction, a valved gasinlet passage leading to the distributing cylinder, an automaticpressurecontrolled means in said passage arranged to close said passagewhen the pressure of gas in said passage exceeds the resistance of saidmeans, said distributing cylinder having a distributing passage fordelivering the gas contained therein to a gas engine cylinder, and meansfor varying the effective pressure of said automatic pressure-comtrolled valve, and a manually-controllable valve for the gas inletarranged in the passage between the automatic pressure-controlled meansand the source of gas supply.

at. In a gas engine starter, a distributing cylinder having a gas inletpassage leading into one end of the same, a manually movable piston insaid distributing cylinder, a manually controllable valve in saidpassage, an automatic valve for said passage in addition to saidmanually controllable valve, means for normally moving the automaticvalve in a direction to open said passage comprising a piston, acylinder containing said piston, and means operating against said pistonto press it into the valve opening position, the pressure of gas movingthe piston and its valve in a direction to close said valve and closingsaid valve when said pro-sure exceeds the pressure on the piston tendingto open the same, said distributing cylinder having a distributingpassage for delivering the gas to a gas engine, said distributingpassage being controlled by the last mentioned piston, whereby saidpassage will be open when said piston is in one position and closed whensaid piston is in another position.

5. In a gas engine starter, at distributing cylinder, a movable pistonarranged for manual operation in one direction, a valved inlet passageleading to said distribut ing cylinder, a normally open automaticpressure-controlled means for said passage arranged to close saidpassage when the pressure of gas therein exceeds the resistance of saidmeans, said distributing cylinder having a distributing passage fordelivering gas contained therein to a gas engine cylinder, and amanually controllable valve for the gas inlet arranged in the passagebetween the automatic pressure-controlled means and the source of gassupply.

6. In a gas engine starter, a distributing cylinder, a valved gas inletpassage leading into said distributing cylinder, a valve for saidpassage, a piston in the distributing cylinder, an outwardly projectingpiston rod, a valve stem connected to said valve, the outer end of saidstem being movable outwardly, a movable head for the other ends of saidpiston rod and valve stem, and an operating handle at the outerextremity of the valve stem and outside of said head, whereby said valvemay be operated at all positions of said head.

7 In a gas engine starter, a plurality of distributing cylinders, avalved gas inlet leading to one end of each of said cylinders, amanually movable piston in each of said cylinders, a manuallycontrollable valve for said gas inlet passage, a normally open antomaticvalve for said passage, and pressurecontrolled means coacting with saidvalve and normally operating to hold the same open, saidpressure-controlled means being in communication with the inlet passagewhereby the pressure of gas entering op erates to move said means in adirection t close said automatic valve.

8. In a gas engine starter, a plurality of distributing cylinders, avalved gas inlet leadingto one end of each of said cylinders, a manuallymovable piston in each of said cylinders, a manually controllable valvefor said gas inlet passage, a normally open automatic valve for saidpassage, pressurecontrolled means coacting with said valve and normallyoperating to hold the same open, said pressure-controlled means being incommunication with the inlet passage whereby the pressure of gasentering operates to move said means in a direction to close saidautomatic valve, and a gas distributing passage leading from each ofsaid distributing cylinders for delivering gas to a gas engine cylinder.

I 9. In a gas engine starter, a plurality of distributing cylinders, avalved gas inlet leading to one end of each of said cylinders, amanually movable piston in each of said cylinders, a manuallycontrollable valve for said inlet passage, a normally open automaticvalve for said passage, pressurecontrolled means coacting with saidvalve and normally operating to hold the same open, saidpressure-controlled means being in communication with the inlet passagewhereby the pressure of gas entering op-l crates to move said means in adirection to close said automatic valve, and a gas distributing passageleading from each of said distributing cylinders for delivering gas to agas engine cylinder, each of said distributing passages being alsocontrolled by said pressurecontrolled means.

CHARLES H. CUNO. \Vitnesses:

L. T. FULLER, vGr. H. DUTTON.

